Many music fans think Michael Jackson's Thriller is the best music video of all time, do you agree? Picture: Google Source: Supplied

AS Thriller celebrates its 30th anniversary, it faces a worthy rival for the title of greatest music video of all time.

The music video has never been more popular in the wake of its YouTube-led renaissance and the unlikely king of the clip is South Korean phenomenon Psy with his breakthrough hit Gangnam Style clocking up 1.6 billion views and counting.

By contrast, the 13 minute plus Thriller mini-movie has had more than 137 million views since it was uploaded to Vevo in 2009, although its champions would argue it has been seen billions of times since it made its world premiere on the fledgling MTV in December 1983.

"Thriller is the perfect mix of music, choreography, narrative and costuming and the cultural barriers it broke for its time were enormous," he said.

"Even now when I watch the video I want to pull out my red jacket and do the Thriller routine."

Timomatic and several of his peers point to Gangnam Style as a wake-up call to the modern music industry about the power of social media. As if the creation of Justin Bieber wasn't a loud enough reality check.

"Epic is the only word to truly describe this clip from Psy," Timomatic said.

"From the contagious dancing to the crazy cameos, Gangnam Style is s joyride from start to finish. What adds to the magic is that Psy is one of the most unlikely characters you would pick to make such an undeniable mark on the global music industry.

"Gangnam Style shows us how unpredictable and fast-changing the global music industry is and also the power of social media."

As we reveal our list of 100 videos you must see, childhood memories and the soundtrack of their youth appear to dictate most artist and fan choices for their favourite music video.

While Rihanna and Justin Bieber may dominate in sheer force of numbers for their respective videos, neither made the cut because their clips just don't have the sticking power in the memory banks.

And while Gaga's Bad Romance is the most watched, Telephone remains the most talked-about.

Samantha Jade cites both the arrival of Britney Spears as the sexy schoolgirl in Baby One More Time... as inspiring her own desire to sing.

"I remember the exact moment I saw this video for the first time. In my lounge room. I went and grabbed my school skirt and hair brush and made up a dance. Britney made me want to be a popstar!" she said.

While more people have watched Psy than any other video in the past 12 months, YouTube trends reveal Australians have spent most of their time this year searching for music videos from Rihanna, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Flume, Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears.

Samantha Jade Single Ladies, Beyonce It was amazing just how incredible three girls and a bare black and white room could look. No costume changes, no love interest. Just an incredible performance. This video is the most simple iconic video I've seen in a long time.

Timomatic Stan, EminemStan by Eminem delves into the mindset of just how far a crazed fan can go to get the attention of their idols. I feel it's one of the darkest and most thought provoking hip hop videos ever made. The narrative is brilliantly acted out and gives the clip more the feel of a full-length movie.

Johnny Ruffo Thriller, Michael Jackson The reason why I feel Thriller is the greatest video of all time is because it was the first video that incorporated short story and music video in the one-piece. I feel that this video has revolutionised the way that every artist today creates and visualises music.

Justice Crew's E-ManHey Ya!, Outkast The cool thing about this video is that Andre 3000 took a similar style of Hairspray with the concepts of colours and styling and made it fresh. I like how it is a high energy song and how he went back to the old school era, and that he made it funny especially by multiplying himself! Also, Andre's the best, so loving this video is a given.

Darren Hayes Bruce Springsteen - Brilliant Disguise To have transformed from global denim working class hero to introspective heartbroken and guilty man overnight was a shock to most viewers.

But what intrigued me the most was the use of live audio and one relentlessly slow close up in one unflinching take. Bruce Springsteen torn apart and hurt for all the world to see. Amazing.

Grinspoon's Phil JamiesonYou Am I, Berlin Chair Something Twin Peaks about Mr Silver. One shot video. Amazing song. Launched a generation of songwriters that are still around to this day.

Cut Copy's Tim HoeySunday, Sonic Youth This Harmony Korine directed video is strangely hypnotic. I love the awkwardness of intimacy between Macaulay Culkin and his then wife, Rachel Miner. The choreographed ballerinas in the 'noise blowout' part of the song are really beautiful. There's an overall seductiveness to all the images in the clip that I find really captivating.

Kasey ChambersStreet Spirit (Fade Out), Radiohead The connection between the mood of the song and the images is perfect. Simple but hauntingly beautiful.

Jonathan BouletRock DJ, Robbie Williams Here's a video that is going completely to plan according to the pop worlds protocol of visual accompaniment. Robbie is dancing around rollerdisco girls. A completely common and normal situation. He's in his natural state.

Upon realising the the old Williams moves (dancing like a moron, showing his tough tribal tattoo, and pulling his genitals out) are not working like they used to, he decides to tear his own skin off. Then his muscles, and lastly his organs leaving only his bare skeleton. At which point, one would presume most girls would flee in terror upon first sight of a man tearing his own innards out, hoping somehow he might win the attention and affection of at least one girl.

To Robbie's credit and against all rational odds, his desperate act succeeds and once again the female form is at Robbie's service. Now hopefully the girl wasn't looking for a conventional relationship as Robbie is by this point an A-sexual and bloodied pile of bones.

You Am I's Russell HopkinsonOpen My Eyes, The Nazz One of the great Nuggets era songs by Todd Rundgren's teen freakbeat group, The Nazz, comes complete with this deep-in-the-sixties wacky clip. Filmed by champion z-grade director Ray Dennis Steckler (Rat Pfink a Boo Boo, The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed Up Zombies) it's a bunch of kids mucking around as Steckler applies his trademark teen-verite meets fast motion craziness style. Naive, teenage and "slightlydelic", this clip is sunshine and innocence doused in acid!

Bob EvansCome To Daddy, Aphex Twin Cos it is the only film clip that has ever genuinely disturbed and frightened me.

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